banana boat

noun

1
: a boat for transporting bananas
… Barnes was a … free spirit who, disguised as a male seaman on a banana boat, had run guns for Mexican revolutionaries.David Roberts, Smithsonian, August 1994
2
: a long, narrow, inflatable recreational boat that riders sit astride while being towed by a powerboat
When the banana boat arrived out in the bay, almost opposite our house, all its riders fell off.Sarah Poyntz, Manchester Guardian Weekly, 9 Aug. 1992

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of banana boat was in 1879

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Cite this Entry

“Banana boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banana%20boat. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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